Charles cltjthe



C. OLUTHE.

(No Model.)-

TRUSS.

Patented June 7, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEioE.

CHARLES OLUTHE, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

TRUSS.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No, 364,482, dated June '7, 1387.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known-that 1, CHARLES CLUTHE, of the city of Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, truss-manufacturer, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTrusses, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to certain modifications in trusses for sustaining and relieving from strain abdominal ruptures; and the objects of the invention are, first to so shape the truss that it will fit closely to the body of the wearer and produce an upward and inward pressure constantly directed against the rap: ture without in any way chafing the hips of or otherwise inconveniencing the wearer; secondly, to provide a simple plan for adjusting the pads of the truss to accommodate the individual wearing it; thirdly, to so form the pad that while permitting thefree movement of the patient it will not move from the rupture, I

against which a constant but pliable pressure is directed by the peculiar construction of the springs composing my pad; and, fourthly, to

so connect the back pads to the truss that they will adjust themselves to the body of the wearer; and it consists, essentially, first, in making the truss of spring metal, bent so as to fit the contour of the body above the hips of the wearer on the sides, and the front portion to which the padsare attached extending below the abdomen at an angle corresponding in a measure to' the angle of the bottom portion of the abdomen, so that the truss shall exert an upward and inward pressure; secondly, in forming the front portion of the truss, at the point where the rupture takes place, in the form of a guide into which the shank of the pad may be inserted and adjusted toaccommodate the individual upon which the truss is fitted; thirdly, in forming the pad of two coiled springs, the inner ends of which are connected together by a spindle, but are otherwise free to act independently of each other, while the outer ends ofthe two springs are connected to the pad-holder substantially as hereinafter explained; and, fourthly, in forming an annular groove in the truss at the points where the back pads are to be attached, and insertinga set'screw through a hub formed on each pad, so that it will protrude into the annular groove, thereby securing the pads to the truss, but permitting them to be self-adj ustin I Figure 1 represents a portion of a figure with my improved truss applied. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of my improved truss. Fig. 3 is a perspective bottom view of myimproved pad when not compressed. Fig. 4 is a perspective top view of my improved pad as it will appear when applied to sustain a rupture. Fig. 5 is a rear View of meet the back pads. Fig. 6 is a similar view of a back pad, but showing its hub in section to expose the set-screw and the annular groove madein the truss.

A represents a spring-wire forming the truss, shaped,as shown,so that its sides extend above the hips of the wearer, while the front portion, a, extends below the abdomen, and is set inwardly, so as to be at about the same angle as that portion of the body. The rear of the truss at the point where the back-pads B are fixed is bent down so that the pads will fit in the usual place.

I should have mentioned that the front portion, a, of the truss is set at such an angle that a line drawn at right angles to and from it would pass through the back pads, and would be at about an angle of forty-five degrees. Consequently an upward pressure is insured.

It will be noticed that the front portion, a, of the truss is bent to form a guide for the purpose of receiving the shank b of the springpad C. A nut and washer, it will be noticed, is placed on the shank b, by tightening which the pad 0 may be held in any desired position,andreadily adjusted to accommodate the individual wearer of the truss. pad 0 is composed of two distinct springs, one spring, d, being connected at one end to the padholder D, while its other end is connected to the spindle c, the said spring being coiled so as to direct an upward pressure against the spindle c.

The spring f is connected at one end to the pad-holder D, and at its other end to the spindle e, the said spring being coiled, asindicated, so as to form a flat surface around and level with the end of the spindle c.

The effect of a spring-pad formed as shown and described is that the shape of the spring The springf, which surrounds the rupture, produces a gathering effect which has a tendency to close the aperture it is placed over; and as the spindle e, which forms the center of the pad, is always acted upon by the spring (1 a constant elastic pressure is directed against the rupture, notwithstanding any unevenness of action in the spring f. It therefore follows that while the spring f permits the free movement of the pad to accommodate the motion of the body the pressure directed against the rupture at the center of the pad is never disturbed by the flexible action of the spring f, as thespring d insures a constant and elastic pressure from the center of the pad.

A further advantage of my pad arises from the fact that the spindle e, which is connected to the two springs, as described, passes through an annular hole in the holder 1), which acts as a guide and holds the center of the pad in the exact position it is originally placed, It therefore follows that my pad is not only exceedingly comfortable to the wearer, but it is practically impossible for the rupture to escape while the pad is worn.

Each back pad B has ahub, formed on it, in which a hole is made, through which'hole the truss A passes, and a buttonflc, on each hub to receive the strap coniicctingthe two ends of the truss.

On reference to Fig. 6 it will be seen that an annular groove, 7a, is made in the truss A, into which the end of the set-screw i fits, the said set-screwi passing through ascrewed hole in the hub 5 By thus connecting the pads B to thetrussAthey will notmovelongitudinally upon the truss A, while at the same time they will turn freely around the truss. Consequently, when the truss is worn, thepads B are self-adjusting, accommodating themselves to the motion of the body of the wearer.

It will of course be understood that the face of the spring f may be upholstered or otherwise covered, if desired. 7

I deem it important that my hub g be centrally arranged in the pad, whereby the pad is made self-adj usting.

\Vhat I claimas my invention is- 1. A truss made of spring metal, bent so as to lit the contour of the body, the sides of the truss extending above the hips of the wearer, while the front portion to which the pads are attached extends below the abdomen at an angle corresponding in a measure to the angle of the bottom portion of the abdomen, and bent to form guides b, for the shank of a pad, sub stantially as and for the purpose specified.

2, A truss made of spring metal, bent so as to fit the contour of the body, the sides of the truss extending above the hips of the wearer, While the front portion to which the pads are attached extends below the abdomen at an angle corresponding in a measure to the angle of the bottom portion of the abdomen, and bent to form guides b, for the shank of a pad, in combination with a spring-pad connected in the guide formed in the front portion, a, of the truss A, and angularly adjustable therein, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. A spring, f, coiled, as described, and connected atone end to the pad-holder D, and at its other end to the spindle e, in combination with the independent spring d, connected at one end to the pad-holder D, and at its other end to the spindle e, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

Toronto, December 20, 1886.

OHARS. CLUTHE.

In presence of CHARLES C. BALDWIN, CHARLES H. RIOI-IES. 

